Unisaw questions

[Rick Young WY]

Hi all,
I found an old Unisaw, 1950 to 1952.
One horse motor, 1725 rpm.
It looks all original and good shape.

What are the advantages of this saw, if any, over a newer/3,000+ rpm and 3 hp motor. I am debating if I should keep saving and buy a new $1500 one or buy this one for $500. Any help is appreciated as I dont understand a lot about what hp or rpm is need or good. I build mostly smaller project, furnature etc. Thanks.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Look around, and you can find a special on Uni's, particularly reconditioned ones for around $1000 - and that's with a 3 hp motor. With a 1 hp, you're gonna get tired of that, and end up replacing it with a new, more powerful one. Pretty soon, you're at the cost of a new saw (new motor, bearings, fence system, etc.). Trust me, I've been were you are, and you can't make the math work to get an older, underpowered saw, and make believe that you just saved yourself a bunch of money.

Check Craig's list, and others like that for saws in your area, you'd be surprised what you can find. Lot's of other good brands out there too (Grizzly, Bridgeport, Powermatic, Steel City, etc.). For myself, I took advantage of a ReCon sale at Redmond's last year, and picked up an American made Uni left tilt w/ Beismeyer fence for $1075.


My advice: You'd better shop around.

[Rick Young WY]

Thank you. The advice sounds good, I guess I just needed to hear it from another woodworker.....my wife told me the same thing. I hate when she is right....lol.
Is Unisaw the best or is another brand better? Thanks.

[Jeff Duncan]

Maurice lives in a very good area, b/c in my area you'll never see a Uni for $100, it just doesn't happen. I wouldn't even think twice about spending $500 for that saw, assuming it is in good condition that's likely a very good deal. Don't worry about the motor size or RPM's right now, people think way too much about motor size IMO. Buy it, use it, and if you really feel like you need more power it's a fairly simple motor swap to get you there. My 54' Uni had the 1 HP original motor and that's what I started my cabinetmaking business with. When it died I upgraded to a whopping 2 hp motor and have never had a problem.
Most importantly if you decide it's not enough saw for you it will be very easy to recover your investment, you won't do that with a new import saw.

good luck,
JeffD

[Robert Conner]

The Older Unisaws are sought after for a reason, they are great saws. Depending on what that $500 one has with it (Goose Egg motor cover,Dust Door, RI motor) that is a good buy. The older ones have thicker castings and cabinets, they were made before the cost cuttings got serious.
There is nothing wrong with the newer Unisaws as well.They are solid well made machines. I have had and still have both. My old Uni is a 1947 1 HP, newer one 3HP.
Depending on the condition of the Older one, you could save some money for some other things.
You will Never loose money on the old one at that price, maintain it and you could just pass it to someone else whenever you choose.
As for power I don't think a Hobby Woodworker will really need more power then the RI Motor puts out.
You might want to check the info on the OWWM site. (mods is that OK to mention?, if not delete please).
Robert

[Jeff Clow]

Go to OWWM.ORG. Do some searches & see what these guys are doing & their opinions on rebuilds. They are definately biased towards the older machines, but sometimes the older machines are better than some of the newer models.
Older Unisaws in need of rebuild can be found in the $100 to $150 range. Good running, older machines would be more in the range of $500 to $800.
You will have to run the numbers & see what works for you. If you don't want to rebuild a machine, or don't have the time, a reconditioned machine for $1075 sounds pretty good.
Also, many people feel that the older 1 to 1 1/2 hp motors are as good as a modern 3 hp, and adaquate for all but the heaviest jobs.
Again, many people are happy with the older, lower power machines, you have to determine what will work for you. The opinions at OWWM.ORG should give you some guidance.

[Rick Young WY]

The motor is not covered and doesnt look like it ever was. There is a square dust door at the bottom of the cabnet in the front. What is an RI motor?

[Cary Falk]

Thank you. The advice sounds good, I guess I just needed to hear it from another woodworker.....my wife told me the same thing. I hate when she is right....lol.
Is Unisaw the best or is another brand better? Thanks.

Rick,
I restored a 1970 Unisaw last summer. I got it gor $400. I had dreams of saving a lot of money by going this route. The moter was 3 phase which I switched out and the fence was the old Jetlock which I replaced also. I maybe came a couple of hundred ahead of a normal priced Unisaw and problably even with a great sale.Don't get me wrong, it was a great experience and that is probably I am not too broken up over the money. Is the Unisaw the best? That is a matter of opinion. I heard the PM 66 has beefier trunions. The fact of the matter is any cabinet saw from Grizzly,PM,Jet,Delta,SC,etc will more than likely last your lifetime plus some.

[J. Z. Guest]

FYI - That 1725 RPM is just the motor RPM. It is "geared up" with pullies, I'm sure, as I don't believe 1725 RPM is fast enough for a saw blade to work effectively.

I believe the newer cabinet saws all use a 3450 RPM motor and less "gearing."

I'm not 100% sure what the blade speed is, but I believe it is usually above 4000 RPM.

I also agree that 1 hp is not enough. Look for 1-1/2 hp mininum. With a thin kerf blade, that is plenty.

[Jesse Cloud]

I think Maurice may have made a typo. $100 for a reconditioned saw with the 3HP motor is a fantastic deal.

Having said that, I agree totally with his point. You can do better for a "user" saw. Getting an refurbed antique with a 1 HP motor is like buying a spiffy Model T for a street car, kinda missing the point.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Thanks Jesse, I did have a typo in my reply. I fixed it to read $1000. Sometimes my fingers can't keep up with my thoughts when I'm typing - which is most of the time!

[Kirk Poore]

The motor is not covered and doesnt look like it ever was. There is a square dust door at the bottom of the cabnet in the front. What is an RI motor?

$500 is a decent price but not a great one. Given your location, I doubt you'll have many to choose from. The goose egg motor cover was an option and most saws didn't have them. You can buy fiberglass reproductions, or spend more money on a cast iron reproduction. Both are available through guys who advertise on the OWWM.org site.

An RI motor is a repulsion-induction motor. This is an older type of motor which would be prohibitively expensive if built today. It has much higher torque when under load. I would expect that 1 hp would be sufficient for you unless you're going to saw very thick hardwoods.

That saw was also better built than regular cabinet saw made today. Whether it has survived well is up to you to determine--look for broken castings, etc., though you say it's in good shape. Expect to change the bearings on both the arbor and the motor. As other said, go to OWWM.org to get more questions answered.

Kirk

[David DeCristoforo]

Well I'm kind of going the "other way" with this. 50's unis are way better machines than anything being built today. The 1hp thing might be a point against it but, as has been pointed out, the "old" motors offered much higher torque so for light to medium cutting (up to 8/4 stock) it should be fine. Assuming that this is a "plug and play" machine without excessive wear or any actual damage, I would much rather have it than a new uni or any other new machine in that class. For five hundred, it's a good buy.

[Jim Holman]

I run a 1948 model with a Repulsion Induction (RI) motor. Mine is rated at 1.5 HP and is a strong, quiet motor; it laughs at 2" oak and maple. The older motors are very well made and tend to run quieter with less vibration.

The jet lock fence that came with these saws is solid but lacks a highly visible pointer and distance scale allowing you to make quick, repeatable setups simply by setting the pointer on the scale. There are a lot of work arounds that do not require the purchase of a new fence. Buy the old Uni and don't look back. It is a great saw.

[Rick Young WY]

Thanks to all of you for the good advice. I can see now that a lot of it is personal preference as well as what I am going to be using it for. Again thanks, you have all helped a lot. I will let you know how it all turns out. I am going back to have another look and look more closely this time, will even take a chunk of white oak 2X4 I have had for fifteen years and is hard as a rock. My old saw works like the devil when ripping and cutting dados in the oak. Got some maple from the school gym floor that is 50 yrs old I might take too. Thanks a million.

[Rick Young WY]

Hi guys,
Well I did it, brought it to my shop last wednesday. Research that you guys directed me to indicates it is a 1939 and all original I think. Only the switch lever is in question in my mind. I would like to attach a picture but I dont know how. Has a 1 hp RI motor. Runs quiet, and cuts well. Well maybe I figured out how to attach a pic. Again thanks a million for all your help.

[Robert Conner]

Rick, That is a SCORE a four footed Unisaw is Prized! They are the most sought after, you got yourself a really nice machine much older then the '50s perhaps 1939 or 1940.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Get yourself over to OWWM.com, look up the date it was made and post it there. There is a lot of help on maintenance and rebuilding if you desire on that Forum.
How do the arbor bearings feel? Any noise or roughness? They are easy and inexpensive to replace if needed.
Welcome to the Old Uni Club.
Robert

[Bill Conte]

Hi guys,
Well I did it, brought it to my shop last wednesday. Research that you guys directed me to indicates it is a 1939 and all original I think. Only the switch lever is in question in my mind. I would like to attach a picture but I dont know how. Has a 1 hp RI motor. Runs quiet, and cuts well. Well maybe I figured out how to attach a pic. Again thanks a million for all your help.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

HOLY COW!!!! What a fantastic find! Trust me, you will love that machine, and it is very highly prized as well. 1939??? Doesn't get more gloatable than that.

[Kermit Hodges]

What is the serial number on that saw? Should be on the angle indicator plate.

Very nice and very original looking saw. As other have said very sought after. 4 footers were only 1939 and I think a few 1940 models. Then they went to the solid base. The shapers keep the 4 feet till at least '46 cause mine has them. The solid front door it extremely rare too. Don't let someone talk you out of that door!

Your did good with that. The saw is not going to bring a ton more money than a latter year model. But that dust door would!

[David DeCristoforo]

The "four footed" unis are the rarest and most highly sought after. Score!

[dan grant]

you are one lucky guy nice score

[Norman Pyles]

Wow!!! :cool::cool::cool:

[Rick Young WY]

I posted a little while ago giving serial number and two more pictures. I has never appeared, I must have not done it right.

The serial number is H 190.

I feel real fortunate to have found this saw and the shape it is in for as old as it is.

Rick

[Cary Falk]

Now why didn't you say it was a 4 footer, original switch, original dust door, R/I motor, and looks complete and in good condition? That changes everything. Congrats on a very rare find. There is a guy selling goose egg repos for about $100 on the bay or woodnet if you want to go that route.

[Pete Bradley]

Just to clarify a few things:

The machines that used a 1725 RPM motor turn the arbor at 3200 rpm. They use the same 2-pulley 3 belt arrangements as all Unisaws, the pulleys are just sized for the motor speed.

Everyone hears about $100 unisaws, but they're hardly common, at least in in passable condition.

The most important things about any old machine are condition and completeness. They determine how much additional money will have to go into it. $500 would be a deal for a complete single phase machine, where a damaged 3PH machine might cost a home woodworker more than a new one to put in service. With vintage unisaws, certain parts have "collector" value that may push up the price, such as the goose egg and original switch.

Pete

Pete

[Pete Bradley]

Oops, I responded before I saw the second page.

Really nice score. Got the miter gauge too.

Please add it to the Delta machine registry over at OWWM.com. Unlike later machines, the serial number on this one is punched into the tilt gauge.

Pete

[William Addison]

I currently have a 3hp Unisaw and used an 1hp for years. I don't remember a noticeable difference in power. The 1hp was physically at least half again larger and that may explain why there's not much difference.